Page 30 of The Save

I don’t know why it warmed my heart that she remembered. Of course she did. “Exactly. And the team has been struggling since Logan left.”

“Well, I heard about their big win last night. They mentioned it on the radio this morning—5-1, wasn’t it?”

“Yeah.”

“Against Red Deer?”

“Yup. Ravens.” For a brief moment, I thought about telling her everything. The drama with Chase, the adjustments I helped make to their game strategy. But this morning, it all suddenly felt empty. It was stupid that I felt so gutted by nothing.

Chase probably hadn’t done any of this on purpose. He probably had no clue I felt the way I did because I barely knew what I felt. I needed to stop letting my emotions cloud my purpose. I’d done what I intended to. I helped my friends. I was participating in a worthy cause on campus. None of the rest of it mattered.

“I saw Cliff in Safeway yesterday.” Mom’s voice was soft, almost apologetic.

I blinked. “What?” It took me a moment to compute what she was saying. “Cliff as in Cliff Wilson?” That was Chase’s dad, and the mention of him in the midst of thinking about Chase was disorienting.

“We talked. I know I should’ve walked the other direction, but . . . I don’t know. He seemed sad.”

“Mom—”

“I know, I know, but it wasn’t all bad. He said Chase is coaching now. Something about a compliance job?”

Blood rushed in my ears. “Oh?”

“Yeah, I guess Cliff had some connection with a University or something and was able to get him the job.”

My heart sped, and I suddenly felt dizzy.

“I think he’s really struggled since high school,” Mom continued. “He and Cliff never got along—no surprise there—but everything with his mom?—”

“What about his mom?”

“Oh . . . I . . . well, I’m not sure if it’s common knowledge, but his mom is in prison.”

It felt like a fist punched through my sternum. “In prison? For what?”

Mom sighed. “It was a DUI. Really sad, actually. She ended up killing a pedestrian. I think she got seven years so—actually, she might be getting out soon.”

My stomach twisted. I pushed up from the chair, bracing myself on the table as the room seemed to spin around me.

“Anyway, the whole conversation reminded me how much we used to love going to Chase’s games. I miss it, Maddie. And I know you and your friends go to games all the time. I was wondering if maybe I could join you sometime?”

Panic zipped through my bloodstream. “Oh, to an Outlaws game?”

“Right! Wouldn’t that be?—”

“We should go to a Blizzard game. That would be?—”

“No, those tickets are so expensive, and watching the pros isn’t the same.”

I struggled to breathe. “Well, let’s talk about it. I actually need to?—”

“I was looking at the schedule. I think there’s a home game?—”

A knock sounded at the front door. “Hey, Mom? There’s someone at the door. Can I phone you back later?” Normally I’d be pissed at someone showing up at my apartment at eight ten in the morning on a Saturday, but right now, it was the perfect escape.

“Oh, sure. Promise you’ll phone soon?”

“Yep. Promise. Love you, Mom.”

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